New Jersey meteorite yields rare extraterrestrial amino acids

A 2-pound carbonaceous chondrite that fell through the roof of a Hillsborough, New Jersey, residence on July 16, 2024 has been identified as a rare CM-type meteorite containing a complex mixture of amino acids. The fireball was observed across several northeastern states and produced a sonic boom before the fragile rock broke apart about 22 miles above the ground. Only a single fragment survived the impact, and homeowners collected it with disposable gloves, aluminum foil and glass jars to limit contamination.

The sample, analyzed by a team led by senior research scientist Peter Jenniskens of the SETI Institute and NASA’s Ames Research Center, was classified as an intermediate CM meteorite, the first of its kind to be studied in such a pristine condition. Researchers reported high levels of sodium from ancient brines and a wide range of organic compounds.

"We detected a complex suite of amino acids, the fundamental building blocks of proteins, in water extracts of the Hillsborough meteorite," said coauthor Dr. Danny Glavin, senior scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

"Most of the amino acids detected in Hillsborough are rare or nonexistent in life on Earth, so they are truly extraterrestrial in origin," Glavin added.

The amino-acid profile was described as more diverse than that of samples returned from the carbon-rich asteroids Bennu and Ryugu. The findings support the hypothesis that primitive carbonaceous chondrites delivered organic material to early Earth, potentially contributing to the origin of life. Researchers are now comparing the mineralogy of the Hillsborough meteorite with material collected by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx and JAXA’s Hayabusa2 missions.

The meteorite fragments are being curated at the American Museum of Natural History, and the study underscores the importance of rapid, careful preservation of fresh falls for scientific analysis.